Not applicable
Not applicable
Not applicable
1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention relates to tools for removing items. More particularly, the present invention relates to an apparatus for removing coil springs by elongating or compressing the springs and removing other fasteners such as cotter pins, particularly in difficult and hard to engage areas of placement.
2. General Background of the Invention
During work that is done on mechanical apparatuses such as machines or the like, often times, one of the most difficult tasks that are involved in the work project is the removal of springs which are utilized as part of the overall apparatus, and the replacement of those springs or new springs when the work is being completed. The difficulty in removing coil springs is the fact that often times the spring has been expanded or stretched to a considerable degree, and it is often virtually impossible for a person to use a conventional tool such as a screwdriver or the like to unsecure one end of the spring without being very work intensive and imposing a high degree of danger when the spring may finally be released from its stretch mode and will instantaneously retract to its constricted mode which may impose injury to the person working in the area. Additionally, during such work, such items such as cotter pins need to be released from their place in the machinery, and cotter pins at times can be very difficult to remove from a work piece since often times they have been in place for quite a while and will not simply release through the use of conventional tools. Likewise, when the work done on the apparatus is nearing completion, the springs or new springs must be replaced in order for the work piece to be complete, and therefore the spring has to be extended from its compressed mode to its extended mode on the apparatus which often times cannot be done manually through the strength of a person but must require additional assistance with tools.
Therefore, there is a need in the industry for an apparatus which can be used to assist in the compression or the expansion of particularly coiled springs or the like, which will make the task much simpler, less work intensive, and provide a high degree of safety for the worker involved in the task. There are prior art patents which have been cited in applicant""s statement of the prior which is being submitted herewith, which attempt to solve the problem, but fall short of the task that has been achieved by the present invention.
The apparatus of the present invention solves the shortcomings in the art in a simple and straightforward manner. What is provided is an apparatus for removing coil springs having a first upright handle member terminating on its upper end with a threaded drive block for accommodating a steel screw threadable through the drive block and movable along the threaded shaft. There is provided a first spring block secured to the upper face of the drive block for accommodating a first end of a coil spring. There is a second spring block on an end portion of the steel drive screw for accommodating the second end of the coil spring, so that rotation of the drive screw expands or retracts the distance between the first and second spring blocks, and would expand or retract the spring in sufficient distance to remove or replace the spring. There is further provided a guide plate below the second spring block, having a slot for accommodating a first bar for pushing or pulling a spring out of engagement and for accommodating a second bar having a means for pulling a cotter pin out of engagement. Lastly, there is provided a means for allowing the apparatus to be attached via a chain or the like to a base so as to extend the length of the spring puller when engaging a spring that must be pulled a greater distance than the maximum distance between the first and second spring blocks.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for compressing or stretching coil springs so as to engage or disengage the coil springs during a work operation;
It is a further principal object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for engaging or disengaging coil springs, and having the ability to engage ends of springs which are quite difficult to engage yet to achieve the necessary engagement of the springs to stretch or compress the springs;
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for allowing a spring to be stretched from a position of engagement to a point that the ends of the spring may be disengaged from their engagement without the spring inadvertently having the ability to compress rapidly thus avoiding injury to a worker;
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which allows the stretching of a spring to a necessary distance so as to disengage the spring from engaging, or to compress a spring to a point necessary to allow the spring to be engaged on a work piece in the compressed mode which would not normally be done manually by a worker.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatus which in addition to compressing or expanding coil springs, has the ability to disengage cotter pins from engagement on a work piece which could normally not be disengaged manually.